Perfection
by actingwithportals
Summary: What if it wasn't Katherine who kissed Jack in the end? (this is my first Newsies oneshot so please be kind)


Perfection wasn't a thing that existed. No amount of beautiful scenery or exciting adventures or well placed words could convince Jack Kelly that perfection was a real thing. But that day? That day came pretty damn close.

The sun was shining, brilliant rays spilling onto the streets and through the alleyways, illuminating the dark grey of the city. Cheers erupted from every corner of the square, a magnitude of noise that for once wasn't jarring. The world felt right. The world felt almost perfect.

The fight had been long and hard, but in the end every battle, every scar earned had been worth it. They had finally won, everything was made right, and Jack couldn't be happier. Even better than their win, everyone was safe. His family was whole again. No more pain and no more suffering. No more need to run away.

Jack was here, and he was here to stay.

The crowd was massive, boys and girls of every age were all gathered in the square, celebrating the win for not only the newsies but for every young working person. This was a start in the right direction for a better life for everyone, and that knowledge shown clearly on everyone's faces through smiles and heard through laughter. Jack tried to make his way through the crowd, looking for the familiar faces of his friends, when he finally caught sight of the one person he wanted to see more than anyone.

"Crutchie!" he called, pushing his way through the throng of people. He could see Crutchie's eyes light up when he saw Jack coming, those brilliant hues shining under the warm summer light.

Crutchie broke out into a grin, doing his best to squeeze through the crowd and make his way towards Jack. As soon as the two reached each other Jack threw his arms around the younger boy into a tight hug.

"You're alright," Jack said, burying his face into Crutchie's shoulder. "Everything's gonna be alright now."

Crutchie hugged him back tightly, his chin just barely able to reach Jack's shoulder. "We did it, Jack!" he cheered in the older boy's ear. "We won!"

The elation was clear in his voice, causing Jack's heart to swell. Out of all the cheers and shouts for joy, out of everything they had won today, nothing compared to brilliance of hearing Crutchie's voice. Jack held him tighter, not wanting to let go, afraid that if he did the boy would be gone again. He wasn't going to lose him, not again, not ever.

"Jack, I can't breathe," Crutchie gasped, standing stock still and waiting patiently for Jack to let go.

"Oh, sorry," Jack stammered, somewhat hesitantly letting go, but still held the boy at shoulder length distance, looking him up and down. His face was cut and bruised, and no doubt was the rest of his body, but the smile on his face was as bright as ever. No amount of darkness, even that from a place as cruel as the Refuge, could deter the warmth that emanated from Jack's small friend.

"Can you believe it, Jack?" Crutchie exclaimed. "I made it out! And not looking too shabby either, if I do say so myself."

Jack laughed at this, patting Crutchie's shoulder gently. "You look great, kid," he said, and it wasn't a lie. Despite the batters and bruises, Crutchie was beaming, and to Jack nothing looked better. From now on things would only get better from here. The Refuge was done for, the newsboys had won, and Crutchie was back where he rightfully should be. The world was looking up, and Jack couldn't be happier.

"You still wanna leave all this for Santa Fe?" Crutchie asked, his bright smile wavering slightly.

Jack paused, looking down at his shoes. "You know," he started, choosing his words carefully. "I think Santa Fe can wait on me a bit longer."

Crutchie broke out into a grin. "You really mean that, Jack?" he asked, elation touching the edges of his voice.

"Yeah, I do," Jack confirmed, matching the younger boy's grin. "Besides, who's gonna look after these bunch?" he pointed out, indicating to the crowd of kids all around them.

"We'd all be lost without you," Crutchie admitted, his voice growing softer. "I'd be lost without you."

"Hey, hey, none of that," Jack chided, ruffling Crutchie's hair. "I said I ain't going nowhere, so don't go off getting all sappy on me, alright?"

Crutchie nodded, smiling up at him. "Whatever you say, Jack," he said, giving the older boy a little salute. But there was something more, something in his eyes that looked as if he had more to say.

"Hey, what's bothering you kid?" Jack asked, leaning down to get a better look at his friend's face. Crutchie avoided eye contact, something clearly on his mind.

"It's nothing," Crutchie countered, still not meeting Jack's eyes. "I'se just thinking that maybe, with you staying and all . . ." he trailed off.

"What's on your mind?" Jack asked, his tone interested. "You can tell me, kid."

Without a second thought, Crutchie grabbed Jack by his suspenders and pulled him forward, planting a kiss on his lips. It lasted for only a moment, but it felt like the world had suddenly gone in slow motion. Jack's lips were soft and warm against his own, and not for one instant did Jack try to pull away.

It was only seconds before Crutchie released him, his face turning a bright shade of pink at the confused look on Jack's face. He could hear the whoops and cheers, and even a few sneers, from the other kids around them. But none of that mattered; all Crutchie cared about was Jack's reaction.

Jack just continued to stare, as if dumbfounded. For the briefest of moments Crutchie feared that he had messed up, that Jack would be angry and shout at him, push him away.

But none of that happened. Instead, Jack pulled the younger boy forward into another kiss, this one lasting longer than the first. More cheers erupted around them, and somewhere Davey and Race and the other boys could be heard whooping and making comments to the like of "it's about time!"

Perfection wasn't a thing that existed, at least not in Jack's mind. But in that moment, that blissful, beautiful moment, Jack was certain he had found the closest thing he would get.

And boy did he hope it would last.


End file.
